RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A longitudinal study of airway symptoms among local residents after a Norwegian air polluting oil tank explosion
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P3946
VO 40
IS Suppl 56
A1 Jens-Tore Granslo
A1 Bjørg Eli Hollund
A1 Lygre Stein
A1 Magne Bråtveit
A1 Bente Elisabeth Moen
YR 2012
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P3946.abstract
AB BackgroundIn 2007 storage tanks containing mixtures of sulphuric hydrocarbons exploded and caught fire in a Norwegian industrial harbour. This study assesses airway symptoms in the nearby population approximately 1.5 and 3.5 years after the explosion.MethodsThe population was examined twice, 1.5 and 3.5 years after the accident, including persons above 17 years. Persons living <6 km from the accident place formed the exposed group while the control group comprised persons living >20 km away. 317 persons answered a questionnaire including four questions with symptoms related to upper airways and eight related to lower airways.Results In the follow-up period “Cough with phlegm” among exposed males was significantly reduced from 43% to 28% (McNemar test p= 0.015). In the control group 28% and 24% had cough with phlegm at these time points. Adjusted odds ratios between exposed and controls in the first and second examination were 2.1 (95% confidence interval 1.0, 4.5) and 1.7 (0.7, 2.9), respectively. “Daily cough” among exposed males were 46% and 35% in the first and second examination (McNemar test p=0.057), and 31% and 28 % in the control group. Adjusted odds ratios were 2.7 (1.3, 5.8) and 1.5 (0.5, 3.6) when comparing exposed and controls in the first and second examination. There were no changes in prevalence of airway symptoms among females between 1.5 and 3.5 years after the accident.ConclusionThe prevalence of some symptoms from the lower airways was reduced among exposed males in the follow up period after an oil tank explosion.